Bending tool



Jan. l, 1966 G. w. KENLON 3,229,727

BENDING TOOL Filed May 20, 1965 Fig. 2

Gera/d W. Ken/0n INVENTOR.

United States Patent C M 3,229,727 BENDING TOOL Gerald W. Kenlon, Redlands, Calif., assignor to Ormco Corporation, Glendora, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 20, 1963, Ser. No. 281,684 3 Claims. (Cl. 140-102.5)

This invention relates to a new and useful tool particularly suited for forming dental prosthetic wires although not necessarily restricted to this purpose.

The present methods utilized in connection with the forming of wires such as the arch wires used in orthodonsistry, are cumbersome, time-consuming and involve considerable diculties. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a manually manipulated tool facilitating the forming of arch wires into horseshoe shape or half circles with ease and accuracy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable tool capable o-f iiorming wires of dilferent gages or dimensions into desired shapes without requiring any adjustment of the tool for such purpose.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide .an easily handled tool whereby wires may be formed without crimps or distortions into a desired shape for various purposes including in particular, the formation of arch Wires to be used as part of a dental prosthetic device.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is `a perspective view of the tool of the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the tool with parts shown in section;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially through a plane indicated by the section line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is ian enlarged view of a portion of the tool illustrated in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the disassembled sections of the tool.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that the tool generally referred to by reference numeral 10, includes two sections consisting of a stationary section 12 and an angularly displaceable section 14 removably seated on the section 12. The Sectio-n 12 is adapted to be held stationary by one of the operators hands as illustrated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1. Accordingly, the section 12 includes an elongated grip portion 16 having an externally knurled surface whereby it may be held irmly in the hand of the operator. Ihe angularly displaceable section 14 on the other hand, includes an elongated handle portion 18 which is also externally knurled so as to facilitate angular displacement thereof by the other hand of the operator. After the section 14 of the tool is seated on the stationary section 12, one of the various gages of wire 20 adapted to be accommodated by the tool 10, is received in position and held anchored to the stationary section 12 by means of the operators thumb. The angularly displaceable section 14 is then rotated to eifect the bending operation.

The wire 20 is adapted to be received by and bent about a cylindrical forming portion 22 that is secured to and axially spaced from the grip portion 16 of the stationary section 12 to form therewith a tool body. Formed in the external surface of the 'forming portion Patented Jara. 18, 1966 lCe 22, are va plurality of axially spaced grooves 24, 26, 28 and 30. The grooves encircle the portion 22 rand are disposed substantially in planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tool body section 12. The grooves differ in dimensions from each other with respect to width and depth so that they have different root diameters as more clearly seen in FIGURE 4. The dimensions of the grooves therefore correspond to the various gages or dimensions of the wires that are to be accommodated by the tool. It will therefore be appreciated, that the dimensions of the grooves and the number of grooves utilized may be varied in accordance with the range of wire sizes for which the tool is designed. In the example illustrated, the wire 20 is of a size or .gage that corresponds to the groove 24 within which it is received as showing in FIGURE 4. Also 'formed on the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical forming portion 22, is a starting line 32 at which location the wire may be tangentially inserted into one of the grooves corresponding to its size. From this location, the wire may be bent about the cylindrical forming portion 22 within one of the grooves.

It will be apparent, that bending of the wire Within one of the grooves will be achieved by angular displacement of the section 14 relative to the stationary tool body section 12. Accordingly, the handle portion 18 of the section 14 has secured thereto at one axial end, a diametrically enlarged tubular portion 34 having an internal cylindrical surface 36 adapted to receive the bearing portion 38 which axially projects from the forming portion 22 of the tool body section 12. The axial end 40 of the bearing portion 38 will therefore abut against the annular shoulder 42 formed within the tubular portion 34 of the section 14, when the section 14 is seated on the forming section 22 as illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2. The bearing portion 38 will not only limit axial seating of the tubular portion 34 but will also guide angular displacement of the section 14 about a longitudinal rotational axis extending through both the sections 12 and 14. Accordingly, when the section 14 is seated on the section 12, a bending pin or rod 44 will be in sliding line contact with the external cylindrical surface of the forming portion 22. The bending rod 44 is therefore a rigid element firmly secured to the tubular portion 34 and extending therefrom parallel to the external surface of the forming portion 22 or in parallel spaced relation to the longitudinal axis of the tool body where the forming surface is cylindrical. The ro-d 44 is also of such length that it extends across all of the |grooves formed in the forming portion 22. The bending rod 44 may thereby engage wire received in any one of the grooves as for example the wire 20.

The use and operation of the tool will be apparent from the foregoing description. The angularly displaceable section 14 will be seated on the stationary body section 12 firmly held stationary within the operators hand. The section of Wire to be formed will then be inserted in the proper groove on the forming portion 22 and the thumb placed just behind the starting line 32 so as to anchor the wire in the groove. With the other hand, the operator will grasp the handle portion 18 of the section 14 for angular displacement thereof causing the bending pin 44 to engage and bend the wire 20 within its groove 24. The wire will thereby be bent into a loop as illustrated in FIGURE 3 inasmuch as the bending rod 44 contacts the external cylindrical surface of the forming portion as the section 14 is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the tool. The thumb of the operators hand grasping the stationary tool body section 12 must be moved forward over the starting line 32 as bending of the wire is completed so that it will not overlap at the starting point should a horseshoe shaped wire be the desired end result. The same procedure may be utilized to form Wires having a curvature of smaller circumferential extent or even to form eyelets by permitting the ends of the Wire to overlap. It will also be appreciated, thatthe tool enables one to bend wire more rapidly, more accurately and Without any bruising of the operators lingers.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and ac-` cordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A wire forming tool comprising a tool body, axially spaced forming means mounted externally on the tool body for tangentially receiving Wires of different gauge therein, movable bending means removably mounted on the tool body for slidably engaging wires received in said forming means, and bearing'means mounted on the tool body for guiding movement of the bending means in sliding contact with the axially spaced forming means to bend the Wires thereinto, said forming means comprises, a forming surface member connected to said tool body and having a plurality of parallel spaced grooves of continuous curvature, each groove being of a different width and depth corresponding to said wires of different gage.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said bending means comprises, a rotatable member mounted by said bearing means in axial alignment with the tool body for angular displacement relative thereto about a longitudinal axis, andan elongated bending pin connected to said rotatable member spaced from said longitudinal axis and extending along said axially spaced forming means for engagement with any gage wire received therein.

3. A tool for bending an arcuate formation in a wire comprising a tool body having a grip portion and an external forming surface axially spaced therefrom, said forming surface having a plurality of axially spaced grooves of diierent root diameters formed therein, a rotatable member having a portion abutting the tool body and extending radially beyond the forming surfacethereof, means rotatably mounting the member in axial alignment on the tool body, and bending means projecting from said abutting portion of the member parallel to the forming surface for engaging said wire tangentially received in one of said axially spaced grooves to deforrn the wire into the groovesaid bending means comp'rising an elongated rod connected to the member and extending across all of the grooves in the forming surface when said abutting portion of the member abuts the tool body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,226 1/1920 Cervenka 140-123 1,896,922 2/1933 Sweeny l40-l02.5 2,809,676 10/1957 Kirkwood 140--1025 3,093,184 6/1963A Moon 140-l24 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WIRE FORMING TOOL COMPRISING A TOOL BODY, AXIALLY SPACED FORMING MEANS MOUNTED EXTERNALLY ON THE TOOL BODY FOR TANGENTIALLY RECEIVING WIRES OF DIFFERENT GAUGE THEREIN, MOVABLE BENDING MEANS REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE TOOL BODY FOR SLIDABLY ENGAGING WIRES RECEIVED IN SAID FORMING MEANS, AND BEARING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE TOOL BODY FOR GUIDING MOVEMENT OF THE BENDING MEANS IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH THE AXIALLY SPACED FORMING MEANS TO BEND THE WIRES THEREINTO, SAID FORMING MEANS COMPRISES, A 